Bottle-capping mechanism



Aug. 1 l, I 925.

F. R. MAW

BOTTLE GAPPING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 8, 1922 F. R. MAW

BOTTLE CAPPING MECHANISM Aug. 11, 1925. 1,549,676

Filed Dec. 8, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4.51 a j F64 5 1/ 92 9 MIL q 6 I 2/ G lg-l Zia;

J Ff? u 62 k l' 1"" :1 4 90 55: 2 555 7/ 7/ 7x 3 M v i j 38 /L 4/ X 4/ J9 "l A 770 PA/E Y Aug. '11, 1925.

F. R. MAW

BOTTLE CAPPING MECHANISM M w m m 3 A w W m z 2 h I a g m a z /7 W 5 ,7 a, Q w #15? G I I ink h m n y 2 w I. & m m o as. 2% m a III! L Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS R. MAW, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO RICE & ADAMS CORPORJ TION, OEBUFFALO, NEW YORK.

BO'TTLE-CAPPIN G MECHANISM.

Application filed December 8, 1922. Serial No. 605,684.

R. MAW, a-

the plunger which caps the bottles; also to provide a bottle capping plunger or ram which has a resilient connection with a positively driven reciprocating member so that the mechanism will have no tendency 'to break 'oversized bottles; also to improve the construction of mechanisms of this kind in such a manner as to render the mechanism easy to adjust for bottles of different sizes; also. to improve the construction of mechanisms of this kind in other respects hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings: 4

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a rear View and a side'elevation of a bottle capping mechanism embodying the invention.

Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a top plan View and a fragmentary front elevation thereof on'an enlarged scale.

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary side elevations showing a bottle capping head thereof in different positions relatively to its supporting frame. 7

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof showing a locking device in position to permit the capping heads to be adjusted to correspond to bottles of different sizes. V

Fig. 8 is a central sectional elevation thereof on line 8-8, Fig. 3.

Figs. 9 and ,10 are fragmentary sectional elevations thereof, similar to' Fig. 8, but showingthe parts of the capping mechanism in different positions.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional elevationthereof showing the means for adjusting the capping heads for bottles of different sizes, the view being taken on line 11-11, Fig. 3. a

Fig. 12 1s a perspective view of theieed,

member for advancing the caps from the magazine to the plunger.

The bottle capping" mechanism is shown in the accompanying drawings as forming a part of a bottle filling and capping machine which includes inechanism, not shown, for feeding the bottles to the capping mechanism. It is not intended, however, to limit the invention .to use in connection with a machine of this kind since the capping mechanismmay be used by itself independently of any other mechanism. Q A represents a table or support of a machine having suitable means provided thereon for moving the bottles into operative relation to the capping mechanism. The

means shown include a stationary guide flange 15, Fig. 2, and a movable feed and guide member 16. X represents the bottles on which the capping mechanism is adapted to operate. The particular mechanism shown is intended to operate on three bottles at a time, but the invention may be applied equally well to mechanisms for operating on one or more bottles, as desired. 1

The capping mechanism is supported from the table A of the machine by means of av fixed frame or standard B suitably secured on the frame of the machine and extending upwardly from thetable A. This framcor standard is preferably provided with means for permitting the capping devices to be positioned at different elevations above the table A so that the mechanism can operate on bottles of different sizes. For this purpose the standard B is provided with upright guide tracks or flanges 18 on which guide portions 19 of a carriage C are slidably arranged. Any suitable means may be employed for adjusting the carriage with reference to the standard B. In the construction shown for this purpose, the carriage is provided with a lug or projection 20 which enters between the guide tracks of the standard and which has a threaded engagement with an adjusting screw 21 journalled at its upper end in a cap or bearing member 22 secured on the 'standardand at its lower end in a bearing lug or projection 25 on the table A. The means for turning the screw include a bevel gear 26 suitably secured to the adjusting screw 21 and meshing with another bevel gear 28 secured on a short shaft 29 which is i urn led l the stand h nd of the shaft 29 is suitably formed, as shown at 30, to engage with a crank or wrench for turning the shaft 29 so that the motion of rotation may be transmitted by thebevel gears to the adjusting screw 21, which 1n turn causes the carriage C to be moved either up or down on the standard B.

Each of the capping devices is mounted on a frame D which is movable vertically on the carriage C, the capping device frames being for this purpose preferably provided with vertical guide ribs 33 which engage in grooves arrangedon projecting arms or parts 34 of the carriage G. Each of the capping device frames has mounted thereon a 'capmagazine E for the caps Y and a plunger or ram F to which the caps are fed one at a time from the magazine and which places the caps on the bottles.

Since each of the capping devices is identical in construction with the other capping devices of the mechanism, only one of these devices will be described.

The capping device frame includes a cylindrical or guide portion 36 on which the guide ribs 33 are formed and which forms a guide for a capping plunger or ram F. The capping device frame also includes a substantially horizontal portion 38 on which the cap magazine E is secured and a plate 39 is secured to the bottom of the capping device frame, this plate being recessed so as to provide a passage or slot 40 between the plate 39 and the horizontal portion 38 of the magazine in which passage the caps are moved from the magazine into operative relation to the plunger F. The lower plate 39 is also provided with a downwardly extending flaring'bell or mouth 41 which is adapted to cooperate with the top of a bottle for centering the same with reference to the capping mechanism, and with a hole M 42 concentric with the flaring mouth 41 and through which the cap is pressed by the plunger F, the hole 42 being substantially in alinement with the cylindrical portion 36 of the capping device frame. Consequently when the frame is lowered into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, the bottle.

will be centered by the flaring mouth 41 in the usual manner to aline the capping mechanism with the bottle. 4

The plunger F, in the construction shown, is made hollow and the upper end thereof is closed by means of a removable cap or bushing '45, which, in the construction shown hasa threaded engagement with the upper end of the plunger, and a rod 46 passes through the screw cap 45 and is provided at its lower end with an enlarged head 47 arranged within the hollow plunger F for engaging a coil spring 50 which is also arranged within the plunger. Since the plunger is yieldingly pressed into its operative position through the medium of the spring 50, means are preferably provided to limit the. downward movement of the plunger. In the construction shown for this purpose, the lower portion of the plunger is slightly smaller in diameter than the upper portions thereof, thus forming a shoulder 51 on the plunger. The guide portion 36 is formed to correspond to the plunger and consequently has a shoulder 52, with which the shoulder 51 of the plunger is adapted to engag to form a stop. These shoulders are so positioned relatlvely to each other as to prevent the plunger from descending further than is necessary to place a cap securely in a bottle. I

The rod 46 is movable vertically during the operation of the capping mechanism and this rod, together with the corresponding rods of the other capping devices of the mechanism, is secured at its upper end to a vertically movabl yoke 53 so that the movement of this yoke may be simultaneously in the construction shown, is secured to the upper end of a pair of reciprocatory rods 55, the rods shown in the construction illustrated being slidably arranged in bearings 56 in the carriage Cand in bearing lugs 57 formed on the table A. By means of the construction described, it will be seen that the positive downward movement of the rods 46 of th capping mechanism is transmitted to the plungers through the medium of the springs 50, which arrangement compensates for irregularities in size of bottles.

In order to render the mechanism readily adjustable for bottles of various sizes, such, for example, as quart, pint and half-pint bottles, the following construction is preferably employed:

The yoke 53 is provided with a pair of tubular bosses 60 preferably formed integral with the yoke and through which the upper end of the reciprocatory rods 55 extend. At the upper end of the yoke 53 a latch or key 61', see particularly Fig. 7 is provided, which is pivotally mounted on a bolt 62 secured in the yoke. The latch 61 has opp0 sitely extending fingers 63 which are adapted to enter any one of a plurality of notches 64 formed in the ends of the rods 55 when the latch is turned about the pivot bolt or pin 62, and the latch may be locked in place by a screw or stud 65, which extends through a slot 66 in the latch and has a threaded engagement with the yoke 53. Fig. 7 shows the yoke 53 disconnected from the reciprocatory rods 55 to be adjusted vertically thereon. 4

In order to facilitate the adjusting of the yoke relatively to the reciprocatory rods 55,

.means are preferably provided to counterconstruction shown, a pair of coil springs 70 is interposed between the yoke and the carriage C in such a manner that the coil springs press upwardly-against the yoke 53 and thus help to support the weight thereof. The springs are held in correct relation to the yoke and carriage by means of rods 71, see Figs. 1 and 2, which extend through lugs 72 of the yoke and through suitable holes in the carriage C. In counterbalancing the weight of the yoke and parts mounted thereon, the springs 70 not only greatly facilitate the adjusting of the yoke on the rods 55 but also cause the machine to operate more smoothly, since these springs are compressed at each down stroke of the rods 55 and consequently help to raise the rods and capping devices at the upstroke. The pressure of the springs on the yoke may readily be Varied as desired by adjusting the carriage vertically on the standard.

, vi ce frame Figs. 3 and 4, so that The cap feeding mechanism constructed as follows:

75 represents the usual cap feeding slide which. in the construction shown, is arranged in the cap passage 40 between the plate 39 and the horizontal portion 38 of the capping device frame. This slide is preferably provided with the usual semicircular recess 76 into which a cap is adapted to enter when the cap feeding slide is in its rear position as shown in Fig. 8, and with lugs or ears 77 arranged at opposite sides thereof and each of these lugs is preferably provided with a pin 78 which is secured thereto. The pins of the lugs 77 are is preferably engaged by a pair of levers 80, the lower" ends of which are provided with slots 81 through which the pins extend. These levers are pivoted, in the construction shown, on brackets 82 which extend outwardly from the cylindrical and each of the levers 80 is provided with a short arm 84 to which one end of a link 85 is pivotally connected. The other end of each link 85 is connected to a bearing pin or trunnion86 formed on a slide actuating collar 87 which is loosely mounted on the rod 46. This collar 87 is provided with trunnions or bearing projections on opposite sides thereof so that the two links 85 are connected to the opposite sides of the collar. The slide actuating-collar is slidable relatively to the rod 46 and is pressed into engagement with the cap 45 of the plunger F by means of a coil spring 90 surrounding the rod 46, one end of the spring bearing against the collar and the other end bearing against the yoke 53. The trunnions or bearing projections 86, in the construction shown are formed on an enlarged, transversely extending head or'rib 92 of the collar 87, see when the plunger F the cylindrical hous- 92 engages the upper .mo-ves downwardly in ing 36, the head or rib portion 36 of the capping de-' end of the cylindrical portion 36 of the capping device frame and thus limits the actuated by a link 97 which forms a part of a combined bottle filling and capping machine. of which the mechanism shown may The other end of this be a part. Other means for reciprocating the rods 55 may, of course, be provided, if desired.

The operation of the capping mechanism is as follows:

lVhen the capping devices are in their upper'positions, as shown in Figs. 4,5 and 8,

the bottles can be moved into operative relation to the capping mechanism whereupon the rods 55 will be moved downwardly, carrying with them the plunger supporting rods 46. During the initial downward movement of the cap-ping devices, each capping device frame moves with the plunger F and the cap feeding mechanismso that. no relative movement between these parts is effected. When the capping device frame engages a bottle, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, further downward movement of the capping device frame is prevented by the bottle and the plunger F therefore begins to descend in the tubular portions 36 of the capping device frames. whichcauses the link 85 to swing the lever 80 and thus advance the cap feeding slide 75 from its rearward position, shown in Fig. 8, into a position in which the cap is moved into the path of movement of the plunger. When the head or projection 92 of the collar 87 engages the.

upper end of the tubular portion 36 of the capping device frame. as shown in Fig. .9, further movement ofthe cap feeding mechanism is stopped. The plunger F then continues its downward movement independently of the collar 87, and the lower end of the plunger passes through the hole 42 in the lower plate 39 and places the cap into its operative position in the bottle, as shown in Fig. 10. It will be noted that the pressure exerted by the positively moving rod 46 is transmitted to the plunger F through the medium of the spring 50 and that consequently both the capping device frame and N the plunger F are yieldingly pressed downwardly into engagement with the bottle, so that if the bottles which are being capped vary in size, the breakage of the bottles is very materially decreased. Upon the return movement of the reciprocatory rods 55 and the rods 46 carried thereby, the plunger F will move upwardly relatively to the frame I) of the capping device, which frame is held in its lower bottle-engaging position by the spring 90 until the upper end of the plunger engages the collar 87. whereupon further upward movement of the rod 46 will cause the collar. the links 85 connected therewith and the lever 80 to first move the cap feeding slide to its rear position and then lift the capping device frame back into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8, the link 85 forming the sole means for raising and suspending the capping device frame from the rod 46.

I claim as my invention 1. In a bottle capping mechanism, the combination of a vertically reciprocatory rod, a capping plunger arranged on the lower portion of said rod, a collar slidably arranged on said rod, means yieldingly pressing said collar toward said plunger, guide means for said plunger, a part on said collar adapted to engage said guide means to limit the movement of said collar with said plunger, and a cap feeding device which is actuated by the relative movement of said collar with reference to said guide means.

2. In a bottle capping mechanism, the combination of a vertically reciprocatory rod, a capping plunger slidably arranged on the lower portion of said rod, a spring interposed between said plunger and said rod whereby the pressure of the rod is yieldingly transmitted to said plunger, a collar slidably arranged on said rod above said plunger and which is yieldingly pressed toward said plunger, a stop for limitin the movement of said collar with said plunger, and a cap feeding device which is actuated by the relative movement of said collar with reference to said stop.

3. In a bottle capping mechanism, the

combination of a vertically reciprocatory' rod, a capping plunger slidably arranged on the lower portion of said rod, a spring interposed between said plunger and said rod whereby the pressure of the rod is yieldingly transmitted to said plunger, a collar slidably arranged on said rod above said plunger and which is yieldingly pressed toward said plunger, a guide device for said plunger and which forms a stop for limiting the movement of said collar, a link connected with said collar, and a cap feeding device which is actuated by said link. 1

4:. In a bottle capping mechanism, the combination of a vertically reciprocatory device for placing caps on bottles, a member slidably arranged on said reciprocatory device and normally movable therewith, a stop to limit the movement of said slidable member with said reciprocatory' device, a slide for feeding caps to said reciprocatory device, a lever connected with said slide for actuating the same, and a link connecting said lever and said slidable member.

5. In a bottle capping mechanism, the combination of a vertically reciprocatory device for placing caps on bottles, a member slidably arranged on said reciprocatory device, a cap feeding device for placing caps into operative relation to said reciprocatory device, a lever connected with said cap feeding device, and a link connecting said lever and said slidable member.

6. In a bottle capping device, the combination of a frame movable toward and from a bottle, a plunger movable relatively to said frame to place a cap on a bottle, a slide for feeding a cap into operative relation to said plunger, a lever pivoted on said frame and operatively connected to said slide, and a link pivotally connected with said lever and having a slidin connection with said plunger for swinging said lever on its pivot.

7. In a bottle capping mechanism, the combination of a frame movable toward and from a bottle, a plunger slidably arranged in said frame, a removable cap for closing one end of said plunger, a reciprocatory rod extending through said cap into said plunger and having an enlarged head arranged within said plunger, and a spring arranged in said plunger and interposed between said plunger and said enlarged head, whereby the plunger will be yieldingly moved into its bottle capping position.

8. In a bottle capping mechanism, the combination of a hollow plunger, areciproeating rod slidably connected with said plunger and having an enlarged head arranged in said plunger, a spring also arranged in said plunger and interposed between the plunger and said enlarged head, a device movable with said plunger during its initial movement toward a bottle and held stationary after said initial movement, and a cap feeding mechanism actuated by said device.

9. In a bottle capping mechanism, the combination of a frame having guide means, a plunger movable in said guide means, a rod having a resilient connection with said plunger, a collar slidably arranged on said rod, a spring normally pressing said collar against said plunger, whereby said collar is pressed by said spring against said plunger and moves therewithduring the initial movement of the plunger into its bottle capping position, means on said frame for limiting the movement of said collar, and cap feeding mechanism on said frame actuated by said collar.

10. In a bottle capping mechanism, the combination of a vertically movable rod, a yoke arranged at the upper end of said rod and having a capping device mounted thereon, means for securing said yoke in different positions lengthwise of said rod, and a spring IOU acting on said yoke for counteracting the weight thereof 'to facilitate adjustment of said yoke on said rod.

11. In a bottle capping mechanism, the combination of a pair of vertically reciprocatory rods, a yoke connecting said rods, a capping device suspended from said yoke, a carriage on which said capping device is slidably arranged and which is adjustable vertically for adapting said capping device to operate on bottles of different sizes, a spring connecting said yoke and said carriage for counteracting the weight of said yoke, and means for securing said yoke in difl'erent positions on said rod lengthwise thereof.

12. In a bottle capping mechanism, the combination of a standard on which the mechanism is mounted, a carriage adjustable vertically on said standard to adapt the mechanism to operate on bottles of different sizes, a vertically reciprocatory rod havin a definite length of stroke, a yoke on which a capping device is mounted, means for securing said yoke on said rod in different positions lengthwise thereof when said carriage is correspondingly adjusted, and a spring connecting said carriage and said yoke for supporting said yoke from said carriage.

FRANCIS it. MAW. 

